On the 27th of October 2020, the ANC, the country, and the rest of the continent celebrated and honored OR Tambo as he would have been 103 years old. In light of these celebrations, the President, Cyril Ramaphosa, unveiled a statue of Oliver Tambo, stationed at the OR Tambo International Airport. In his address, the president said, ‘Oliver Tambo dedicated his life to the people of South Africa and to the achievement of democracy.

He led the struggle for freedom through its darkest and most difficult moments.’ This is the caliber of a person we can’t stop remembering and celebrating even after 103 years since his birth. Tambo continues to live.

Oliver Reginald Tambo early years

OR Tambo was born 5 years after the birth of the African National Congress, in 1912. Born of a father who was a farmer and a mother who was a devoted Christian, OR was brought up in a Christian background which shaped his outlook. And it is at Fort Hare where he met Nelson Mandela as they were both members of the Students Christian Association. During his time at the College of Fort Hare, Tambo was involved in student matters and was a Secretary of the Students Representative Council.

The struggles of students in university ignited Tambo’s interest in fighting for justice and equality. After completing his first qualification and in his pursuit to secure employment after being expelled from the college he moved to Johannesburg in the early 1940s where he met Walter Sisulu, Anton Lembede, and ANC’s then-President Dr AB Xuma. Through his continuous interaction with these great leaders, Tambo became involved in the politics of the ANC. It is during this period that they planned the recruitment of young people into the struggle.

This led to the birth of the African National Congress Youth League in 1944 and Tambo was its first Secretary-General. By the time Tambo and his comrades were elected to the ANCYL, the ANC was faced by a ‘threat of withering away out of existence’ (Thabo Mbeki: 2017, OR Tambo Memorial Lecture

The ANC needed new strategies to redeem itself out of this and the birth of a young and vibrant comradeship was indeed the only way to save our glorious movement. In this regard, Tambo played a pivotal role in ensuring that the ANC survives this era and revived itself to fight the racist and inhuman regime.

It is important to understand that the birth of the OR Tambo Youth League was four years before apartheid was formalized in 1948. Hence the efforts of OR Tambo and his comrades were critical because they were faced with a regime that was intensifying its oppression.

OR Tambo and his role in the ANC

In 1948, the National Party came into power and passed more stringent laws against black people. It is at this period that the young and vibrant YL needed to step up and counter the oppression of the white racist government. Tambo and his generation kept the fire burning and did not take the oppression of the regime lying down. The increasing tension between the ANC and the government forced the ANCYL to opt for a more radical position in fighting for freedom. The adoption of this radical stance led to havoc which threatened the regime and its existence. Therefore, in 1960 the ANC was banned by the then government. In this regard, one cannot argue against the assertion made by the former President Thabo Mbeki in his OR Tambo centenary lecture. When he said;

“I argue that we must pay heartfelt tribute to Oliver Tambo for the central contribution he made during the 1940s to help resurrect the ANC from its death bed and position it such that by 1960 it had mobilized the masses of our people to stand out as the strategic and practical opponent which threatened to overthrow the apartheid regime.”

Prior to the banning of the ANC, OR Tambo was the National Secretary-General of the ANC and he played a significant and leading role in the ANC’s Defiance Campaign. The fearless Tambo continued to lead and fight for the liberation of black people. OR was involved in the drafting and consultation of the Freedom Charter which aimed at creating a society where we were all equal and benefited from the fruits of the country’s wealth.

After the banning of the ANC, it was necessary that other comrades work underground and mobilize the international community to aid in putting an end to the apartheid regime. As a result of the commitment of Tambo and his conviction to the National Democratic Revolution, the ANC deployed OR to go into exile so as to ensure that the revolution continues and that the name of the ANC stays alive.

There was no best person for the task because Tambo did exactly what he was tasked to do by the organization.

Oliver Tambo an embodiment of hope

The fact that OR Tambo was the longest-serving president should tell us something about his character and style of leadership. This was a man who understood the values and principles of the African National Congress and the social order that it sought to achieve through the struggle. OR was prepared to do anything to see his people free and he understood that there cannot be rest until that mission is accomplished. In his words, Tambo once said;

“The fight for freedom must go on until it is won; until our country is free and happy and peaceful, as part of the community of man, we cannot rest.” In the ANC, OR represented values that today we Should all emulate, these include; commitment to building a South Africa that is free, united, non-racial, non-sexist, and equal.

Throughout his life, OR Tambo lived to fight tirelessly for a peaceful South Africa that will be governed by democratic systems. He represented hope and remained at all times true to his responsibility to serve the masses of our people. He was driven by his love for the ANC and his people. During his life, he defended these through the darkest moments in our history.

When I think of the leadership OR represented I cannot help but think of the words of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe when he defined what leadership is. He defined it as follows;

“True leadership demands complete subjugation of self, absolute honesty, integrity, and uprightness of character, courage, and fearlessness, and above all, a consuming love for one’s people.”

These words describe precisely the kind of leader OR were. He never put his interests above those of the ANC and the people of South Africa. He served with integrity, absolute honesty and above all, he loved his people!

In addition, to being an embodiment of hope, Oliver Tambo was a unifier, a glue of the organization. We can attest to this in his role during the formation of the Youth League, his time in exile and the mobilization of the international community, and also his role at the Morogoro Consultative Conference. Tambo was there in the different stages of the renewal of the ANC and today, we cannot cease honoring him for his sacrifices for our freedom.

What can we learn from OR Tambo?

 What can we learn from OR Tambo? Why are we members of the ANC? Are we living up to the values OR Tambo and his generation stood for?

These questions are very important because they will tell us the state of our organization. It is common knowledge, at least amongst ourselves as ANC members, that the organization continues to face its own challenges. However, today I want us to do a self-introspection as comrades and ask ourselves what has been my role in the failure and success of the ANC? It is easy to point fingers and say,’ no uqabane is doing this and that…’ but wena as a member of the ANC what sacrifices have you done to ensure that we build an organization that will;

unite all the people of South Africa, Africans in particular, for the complete liberation of the country from all forms of discrimination and national oppression; (ANC Constitution).

This is what we should all strive for as members of the ANC.

A pertinent question we should ask ourselves every time we are faced with making decisions, should be; ‘in whose interest am I doing this?’. Each year in October we come together to celebrate OR Tambo but what use is that if after the lecture we go back to our corners and start throwing stones at each other? In such instances, these celebrations become futile.

We are not here just to reminisce about OR Tambo, but we are here to awaken our conscience as well. To say to ourselves, I joined the ANC to make a contribution to the full liberation of our people, to continue with the struggle to create an equal and free society for all. Let us be like OR Tambo and abide by the aims and objectives of the African National Congress as set out in the Constitution, Freedom Charter, and other duly adopted policy positions.

Let us take the baton and like Oliver Tambo, spread the message of hope, unity, and commitment to the emancipation of our people who still live in poverty, women, and children who are murdered and abused every day, and the dismantling of systemic racism.

To this end, I would like to quote the commitment President Nelson Mandela made when Oliver Tambo was laid to rest. He said:

“Let all of us who live to say that while we live, Oliver Tambo will not die!

“May he, for his part, rest in peace.

“Go well, my brother, and farewell, dear friend.

“As you instructed, we will bring peace to our tormented land.

“As you directed, we will bring freedom to the oppressed and liberation to the oppressor.

“As you strived, we will restore the dignity of the dehumanized.

“As you commanded, we will defend the option of a peaceful resolution of our problems.

“As you prayed, we will respond to the cries of the wretched of the earth.

“As you loved them, we will, always, stretch out a hand of endearment to those who are your flesh and blood.

“In all this, we will not fail you.”